principalagent

So my thing about "my band did a b c and therefore deserves x placement / y finals spot / any consideration better than its currently receiving" is that when everyone says it - and we have three different examples on the prior page alone - it seriously diminishes any individual claim to that argument. For now, all we can do is predict based on the scores (and probably more important, the scoring patterns) that we've been given. That's going to advantage how certain bands are and aren't predicted. At the end of the day, it's not worth being bothered by what some band nerds (me included) predict about some show at whatever contest. Just go and perform your show to the best of your abilities and inspire your bandmates around you to do the same. Then, the results will fall where they may, and possibly you won't feel you *have* to defend your group on here next season.

For what it's worth, I'm not convinced any Texas band will win visual this year. If anyone came close, it would be the Woodlands (based on history - if someone has a video you know who to PM!). Past TWHS, I think Leander, CTJ and Flower Mound will be the closest the state will see in the coming years. Partially because of UIL and partially because of the constraints of the 8-hour rule and TEA restrictions on band practice time during class, Texas bands just don't have the visual packages required to really challenge Avon or Broken Arrow or Carmel year in and out. I think the last time someone came close was LD Bell about a decade ago or more.

https://www.facebook.com/sonlux/posts/10153340440794495 Son Lux is the artist whose song "Lost it to Trying" is in the first movement and ending tag of Leander's show this year. His twitter also shows his love to the group. Pretty great for their season!

So I just went through the whole BOA handbook because I'm really trying to put off work as a senior in college and the general gist I got is that BOA's performance captions work as a fluid mixture of achievement and execution. So it's not only how clean it is, but how clean it is in the context of what's being given to the ensemble. That explains why, in the context of last year, very hard and demanding but a little dirty - say CTJ - did better in visual than immaculately clean but not as challenging. Style however, does not matter for the performance captions if it's consistent and done well. General Effect is where a certain show style starts to matter. (I'm also not entirely convinced by the argument that today's general marching band design is actually easier / easier to hide mistakes than it used to be - I personally think body work and added responsibilities while playing as well as more complex music books (not in the number of notes) makes certain things harder to hide - but that's neither here, nor there) For what's its worth, this contrasts with what UIL *was*, but I'm getting the feeling that UIL is also changing in what it likes to see in terms of its contests as well. I'm hoping that with a recent retirement, an adjudication change is soon to come.

I would be extremely shocked if Leander did not end up in the top half of finals. Remember, their show also isn't done and what they have still has tons of room to grow. Judges, especially for GE (Visual, primarily), will probably respond quite well to the last half of their show and that counts for *a lot* in BOA. I'm not willing to say how high they, or anyone for that matter, will go in the top 7, but they should be in the mix.

LD Bell will be at Atlanta, so that makes that easier. I would also move Owasso down. They just got swept by Blue Springs at Union's competition. I'm not sure if that bodes well for them.

Also looking at the recaps, Wakeland almost broke the top 5 but lost on a GE tie. They're on fire. For sure finalist at SA. I am starting to be concerned about the Kellers and Grand Nationals. This year is looking to be tough for finals already, but bands have missed finals in Texas BOAs and still made finals at RCA, so it's not over yet if they can grow.

So we've gone from a band that hadn't won a regional championship in 19 years, to one that hadn't won in 9, to one that just scored its first regional win. San Antonio will be a doozy.

Bands usually take them, I've found. Before Aledo this season, the last time I can remember was Vandegrift at BOA San Antonio finals in 2012.

On another note, I wonder why Aledo isn't choosing to perform in any of their exhibitions. I thought last week may have been because of the long drive they would have had back home, but this competition is much closer.

I'm willing to bet every placement changes *again* in finals.

Not surprised Flower Mound won prelims. Their show is probably the most sophisticated in the state I've seen (a video of) so far. Although I am kicking myself for not predicting them first even though I had a feeling they had it in them.

They have their own live blog here http://www.texasmarchingclassic.com/modules/fmcontent/content.php?topic=competition-specifics&id=26&page=live-blog

Who dropped? Can't tell so easily from the schedule

I would say that's because Marcus is the safe bet. As long as they're going to be as consistent as they're always known to be, they're going to be the favorite for a prediction, even if Hebron has won the DFW regional the last two years. Especially considering that Hebron, and Round Rock for that matter, can't peak early, Marcus is an even more attractive and safe choice.

I'm personally curious to see what Cartwright being back on Bell's design team will do for them. If Reagan and Guidry says anything, we may see a welcome resurgence. Also, I'm dark horsing Wakeland for the top 5.

Wakeland: Cannot wait to see this in person on Halloween night. Calling it right now that they make finals. I'm also going to predict they sweep their class this weekend and try to take Visual and a class placement from LISD at San Antonio prelims. I'm so glad they and CTJ 2014 are proving that a UIL year is no excuse for a subpar visual package. I hope they're awarded properly for what I'm sure they'll achieve in four weeks' time and continue to push the envelope for visual design. Reagan: I get the same vibe I do from Hebron 2013. I *personally* don't get much out of it, but I completely understand *why* it won Conroe and why it's going to be a serious contender for 1st at San Antonio.

Different circuits with different priorities, scoring mechanisms, and judging standards. It's pretty indisputable that the best bands do BOA, and even the class champions of USSBA national events largely can't make semifinals at Grand Nationals and most definitely can't make finals. Your observation that the bands that place well at US Bands can't make finals at BOA regionals is also correct. When they do, it's more often than not towards the bottom (see: Brazoswood this weekend at Conroe). But sometimes a BOA finals caliber band will go to a US Bands event for kicks or to fill out their schedule. It's honestly that US Bands is not worth discussing as much because all the powerhouses and best shows are in BOA, and of course UIL as well.

But the tiebreaking process was done incorrectly and Churchill should have won it. Therefore, Churchill and Duncanville were named co-Bronze medalists.

I think the Cedar Ridge Band Boosters do their own live blog for this event, if I'm not mistaken

I don't even want to try to predict this anymore.

http://www.musicforall.org/images/PDFs/2015/Fall/RECAPS/2015.10.03_Conroe_TX_Prelims.pdf Notable remarks: Brazoswood would have missed finals on a penalty if TWHS had been able to stay. Had they not gotten the penalty and TWHS had stayed would have kept Cypress Falls out of finals and unable to climb *five spots* in finals. TWHS seems to be playing the long game. I think third right behind Johnson and Reagan is the right place to be and gives them tons of room to grow. In a complete reversal of Austin, the highest placing 3A band placed 20th. Houston was all about big schools. First Five Out: 12) Dawson 13) James E. Taylor 14) TWCP 15) Spring 16) Rouse

Some comments: Amazing job to Reagan to what I'm sure is a very well deserved regional win. Too bad I can't see a video on music for all to verify... While Johnson lost, I'm sure they'll still be battling for the top spot come San Antonio. I can't help but wonder what to think what the Woodlands would have done in the night show. Cy-Falls is in a good position to get into the top half in Atlanta. Cedar Ridge is obviously showing that their director change won't keep them from doing very well. SFA seems to finally be reaching it's old levels of success with their amazing placement after some rebuilding years. How Keller improves in the next week will be very telling for their trajectory to Grand Nationals. I do imagine they're playing the long game.

That's correct! 2006 with "It Chooses Me" I'm not on a roll today My mistake!

7:45 PM - Winston Churchill H.S., TX 8:00 PM - Brazoswood H.S., TX 8:15 PM - Pearland H.S., TX 8:30 PM - Cypress Falls H.S., TX 8:45 PM - Keller H.S., TX 9:00 PM - Stephen F. Austin H.S., TX 9:15 PM - Ronald Reagan H.S., TX 9:30 PM - Claudia Taylor Johnson H.S., TX 9:45 PM - Cedar Ridge H.S., TX 10:00 PM - Oak Ridge H.S., TX 10:15 PM - EXHIBITION: Calallen H.S., TX 10:30 PM - EXHIBITION: Tompkins H.S., TX Not only did Oak Ridge make their first BOA finals, but they scored in the top 5 too! Cedar Ridge also in the top 5, showing they're still kicking. SFA is also back in the top 5 in Houston for the first time since 2011. Great for all of them!